Packaging

ABSTRACT

A wraparound sleeving system is provided and comprises a sleeving machine having a conveyor for transporting packaging sleeves. The packaging sleeves comprise one or more apertures for receiving a portion of one or more respective products. The sleeving machine comprises a folder for folding the sleeve so as to wrap a portion of said sleeve over or around a portion of said product after said portion of said product is received in said aperture.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application cites the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) of UnitedKingdom Patent Application No. 2014051.3, filed on 7 Sep. 2020, which iscurrently pending, and which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates generally to packaging and particularly,although not exclusively, to a packaging machine such as a sleever, to amethod of forming a package, and to packaging formed using machinesand/or methods provided by the present invention.

An aspect of the present invention provides a wraparound sleeving systemcomprising a sleeving machine having a conveyor for transportingpackaging sleeves, said packaging sleeves comprising one or moreapertures for receiving a portion of one or more respective products,the sleeving machine comprising a folder for folding the sleeve so as towrap a portion of said sleeve over or around a portion of said productafter said portion of said product is received in said aperture.

A sleeving machine based on the principles described herein is alsoprovided.

A method of packaging a product using the machine and/or systemdescribed herein is also provided.

In some embodiments individual platens are provided to carry sleeves.

In some embodiments sleeves are loaded (e.g. directly) onto theconveyor.

The product may be a tight or snug fit in the sleeve.

In some embodiments both the sleeve and the product are handled inindividual platens that are custom made to fit the profile of the sleeveand accept the product into a drop thru or neck thru hole or aperture.

The sleeve may be folded on the move. Some machines are provided withguides, surfaces or the like for causing a portion of the sleeve to befolded

In some embodiments sleeves are folded on the move with fixed guidesthat comb through grooves that are cut into platens.

Sleeves may be provided as flat blanks.

Individual platens may carry a paperboard sleeve, with product placementinto an aperture that is cut into the sleeve that also aligns with anaperture cut into the platen.

Product may be hand-placed into sleeves. Alternatively a robot may usedto collect product and/or place it into sleeves.

In some embodiments all operations are carried out from above. Forexample the apparatus for performing operations is mounted overhead.

In some embodiments sleeves are taken from a hopper by a rotary vacuumcup picker.

In some systems the product is pre-wrapped.

The sleeve may, for example, be formed from paper or paper-boardmaterial

In some systems the product is a vacuum pack product.

Guides may provided to fold part of a sleeve blank over so that it canbe glued.

The sleeve may be glued into place after folding.

The present invention also provides a drop-thru or neck-thru wraparoundsleeving machine.

Some aspects and embodiments relate to placing a product into a packe.g. placing packaging (such as a sleeve) onto/into/around a product.

Some aspects and embodiments relate to the packaging of food productssuch as meats and cheeses.

The product may be pre-wrapped, for example in a plastics and/orpaper-based material. The product may, for example be provided as vacuumpacked prior to sleeving.

The sleeve may, for example, be formed from paper or paper-boardmaterial.

In some aspects and embodiments the present invention provides orrelates to a drop-through wrap-around sleever. Some embodiments providea machine for sleeving cup or vacuum pack style products.

In some embodiments individual platens are provided that carry a sleeve,with product placement into an aperture that is cut into the sleeve thatalso aligns with an aperture provided in the platen.

Guides may be provided to move parts of the sleeve e.g. fold or bend.

Some aspects and embodiments allow for a tight/snug fit of product in asleeve, preventing it from moving significantly with respect to thesleeve. This reduces the chance the product will inadvertently fall outof the sleeve.

Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be usedseparately or together.

Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention areset out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Featuresof the dependent claims may be combined with the features of theindependent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than thoseexplicitly set out in the claims. Each aspect can be carried outindependently of the other aspects or combination with one or more ofthe other aspects.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example embodiments are shown and described in sufficient detail toenable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement thesystems and processes herein described. It is important to understandthat embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should notbe construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

Accordingly, while embodiments can be modified in various ways and takeon various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown inthe drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is nointent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope ofthe appended claims should be included. Elements of the exampleembodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numeralsthroughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate. Theinvention is not limited in the design and shape of the structure shownin the drawings.

The terminology used herein to describe embodiments is not intended tolimit the scope. The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are singular in thatthey have a single referent, however the use of the singular form in thepresent document should not preclude the presence of more than onereferent. In other words, elements referred to in the singular cannumber one or more, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, Itwill be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,”“includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presenceof stated features, items, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, items, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. Itwill be further understood that terms in common usage should also beinterpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealizedor overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates part of a drop through wrap around sleeving machine10 formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention andthe stages of a product drop thru and sleeve wrap around process formedin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

A paperboard sleeve 15 is placed on a platen 20.

The platen 20 includes a groove 21 for receiving a conveyor rail.

Individual platens 20 are provided to carry a sleeve/product through themachine using a conveyor system.

The product 25 is loaded into an aperture 16 in the sleeve 15. Theproduct 25 includes a flange 26 which is larger than the aperture. Theproduct does pass completely through the aperture and becomes seated onthe sleeve.

A back panel 17 of the sleeve is folded over. The sleeve includes apanel 18 to receive a glue line 19 to which the back panel is secured.

The finalised product is formed.

In this embodiment both the sleeve and the product are handled inindividual platens that are custom made to fit the profile of the sleeveand accept the product into a drop thru hole or aperture. The sleeve isthen folded on the move with fixed guides that comb through grooves thatare cut into the platen.

FIGS. 2 to 6 illustrate various steps in the functioning of a packagingmachine formed in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Sleeves 115 (which in this embodiment are provided as flat blanks) aretaken from a hopper by a rotary vacuum cup picker 130—FIG. 2.

The sleeves 15 are placed onto platens 20—FIG. 3.

Individual platens 20 are shown that carry a paperboard sleeve 15, withproduct placement into an aperture that is cut into the sleeve that alsoaligns with an aperture cut into the platen—FIG. 4. Conveyor rails 140are shown.

In the Figures the product is shown being hand-placed into sleeves. Inother embodiments, for example a robot may be used automatically tocollect product and place it into sleeves. The product is “droppedthrough” the sleeve blank.

In this embodiment the platens cruise through the machine continuously.

The sleeve 115 and product 125 then remain aligned as they are conveyedforward and the sleeve is folded/glued over the top of the product—FIGS.5 and 6. Guides 150 are provided to fold part 117 of the sleeve blankover so that it can be glued. The sleeve “wraps around” the product.

In some aspects and embodiments all/most operations may be carried outfrom above; accordingly the apparatus for performing operations may bemounted overhead e.g. things that manipulate the sleeve.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show examples of final packaged product formed usingmachines provided by the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a drop thru/neck thru wrap around sleever formed inaccordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows an example of final packaging formed using the sleever ofFIG. 9. In this embodiment three condiment bottles 425 a-c are receivedin a sleeve. Bottle necks are loaded into apertures 416 a-c formed in afolded sleeve panel 435. A further portion 440 of the sleeve is foldedover onto a glue line panel 445.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosedin detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it isunderstood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodimentsshown and that various changes and modifications can be effected thereinby one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A wraparound sleeving system comprising a sleeving machine having aconveyor for transporting packaging sleeves, said packaging sleevescomprising one or more apertures for receiving a portion of one or morerespective products, the sleeving machine comprising a folder forfolding the sleeve so as to wrap a portion of said sleeve over or arounda portion of said product after said portion of said product is receivedin said aperture.
 2. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in whichindividual platens are provided to carry sleeves. A sleeving system asclaimed in claim 1, in which the sleeves are loaded onto the conveyor.4. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in which the product is atight or snug fit in the sleeve.
 5. A sleeving system as claimed inclaim 1, in which both the sleeve and the product are handled inindividual platens that are custom made to fit the profile of the sleeveand accept the product into a drop thru or neck thru hole or aperture.6. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in which the sleeve isfolded on the move.
 7. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in whichthe sleeve is folded on the move with fixed guides that comb throughgrooves that are cut into the platen.
 8. A sleeving system as claimed inclaim 1, in which sleeves are provided as flat blanks.
 9. A sleevingsystem as claimed in claim 1, in which individual platens carry apaperboard sleeve, with product placement into an aperture that is cutinto the sleeve that also aligns with an aperture cut into the platen.10. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in which product ishand-placed into sleeves.
 11. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1,in which a robot is used to collect product and place it into sleeves.12. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in which all operations arecarried out from above.
 13. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 12, inwhich the apparatus for performing operations is mounted overhead.
 14. Asleeving system as claimed in claim 1, in which sleeves are taken from ahopper by a rotary vacuum cup picker.
 15. A sleeving system as claimedin claim 1, in which the product is pre-wrapped,
 16. A sleeving systemas claimed in claim 1, in which the sleeve is formed from paper orpaper-board material.
 17. A sleeving system as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the product is a vacuum pack product.
 18. A sleeving system asclaimed in claim 1, in which guides are provided to fold part of thesleeve blank over so that it can be glued.
 19. A sleeving system asclaimed in claim 1, in which the sleeve is glued.
 20. A drop thru orneck thru wraparound sleeving machine.